Tool blade

ABSTRACT

A blade for a lifting tool, the tool used to remove material off a support surface. The blade has a generally quadratic shape with front and rear edges joined by sides, a top surface, and a bottom surface. The bottom surface has a front section and a rear section, the front section extending rearwardly from the front edge of the blade while angling slightly away from the top surface, and the rear section extending forwardly from the back edge of the blade while angling slightly away from the top surface. The front and rear sections join to define a ridge located generally midway between the front and back edges of the blade, the ridge extending across the blade and parallel to the front edge. The blade can be rocked about the ridge to rest on either of the back or front bottom sections. When rocked forward to rest on its front bottom section, it can easily be slid under material on a support surface. Then, when rocked back to rest on its back section, it can slightly lever up the material, breaking it away from the support surface. The blade can then be pivoted about either edge to complete removal of the material. Fastener receiving slots can extend inwardly from the front edge.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

This invention is directed toward a tool blade that can be used in a number of tools. The invention is more particularly directed toward a tool blade particularly useful in tools used in lifting or prying material from a support surface. The tool blade can also be used to remove various fasteners holding material to a support surface. The tool blade is particularly useful in a roofing tool used in removing roofing material, such as asphalt shingles, and in removing roofing material fasteners, such as shingle nails. The tool blade can be used in tools used to remove tiles or other floor coverings. The tool blade could be used in tools used to renovate or demolish buildings, the blade particularly useful in removing panels, flooring, siding, molding and the like. The tool blade could be used in tools to remove ice from walkways. The invention is also directed toward tools employing the tool blade.

2. Background Art

Lifting tools are known having a straight, flat, blade at the end of a handle with the blade having a tapered front edge. The blade can be slid under the edge of a piece or layer of material on a flat support surface using the tapered front edge. The blade can extend at an angle to the handle of the tool so that the tool can be levered by the handle about the front or back edge of the blade to try to lift the material off the support surface with a part of the blade under the material. These known tools are used to lift and remove roofing materials from roofs; floor coverings from flooring; and panels from walls, by way of example.

Other lifting tools are known where the blade itself is bent to form front and rear blade portions. The front of the front portion is tapered to its front edge. The blade is levered by the tool handle about the bend joining the front and rear portions to lift the front of the front portion of the blade. More leverage can be applied to the front portion of the blade by the handle since the front portion provides a shorter lever arm between the front edge and the bend relative to the long lever arm provided by the handle. However, a bent or angled blade is limited as to how far it can be inserted under the material to be removed and thus it can take longer to remove a given amount of material than when using a straight, flat blade.

The known tools usually have slots in the blade extending rearwardly from at least the front edge of the blade. The slots separate forwardly extending teeth on the blade. The slots are used to remove material fasteners connecting the material, being removed, to the support surface. The slots can receive the shanks of material fasteners, such as roofing nails, with the heads of the fasteners resting on adjacent teeth. The tool is operated to lever the fasteners, caught in the slots, out of the supporting surface, the leverage applied by pivoting the blade about either its front or rear edge.

However, the known lifting tools with straight, flat, blades can have trouble lifting material that is tightly held on the support surface. The known lifting tools can have particular trouble lifting ‘frozen’ fasteners, fasteners that have rusted slightly in place and/or are tightly held by dried wood. The problem exists when lifting panels held by ‘frozen’ fasteners or when trying to lift the fasteners themselves. The lifting leverage provided by a tool with a straight blade is not always sufficient to lift tightly held fasteners or panels held with such fasteners. Some known roofing tools with straight blades can be bent when trying to lift ‘frozen’ fasteners thereby limiting their use.

Also, the slots in the blades in all known lifting tools, particularly roofing tools, are usually designed to take one size only of a fastener. Further the slots are usually designed to merely capture the fasteners and not help ‘crack’ the fasteners from the support surface while guiding the fasteners into the slots. The tools are also not designed to remove fasteners from under covers such as, for example, roof flashing. In addition, the known lifting tools do not have handles designed to more easily and safely lift material and/or fasteners with the blade of the tool.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is purpose of the present invention to provide a lifting tool blade that can provide a strong lifting force to provide initial movement to most tightly held material on a support surface that is to be lifted and removed. It is a further purpose of the present invention to provide a lifting tool blade that can more easily lift and remove tightly held fasteners holding material onto a support surface. It is another purpose to provide a straight lifting tool blade that can be easily inserted far under material to be removed. It is another purpose of the present invention to provide a lifting tool blade with slots that can receive different sizes of material fasteners while initially lifting them. It is another purpose of the present invention to provide a lifting tool blade with different teeth on the front and back edges of the blade so the blade can be used for pulling one type and size of material fastener with the teeth on the front edge and for pulling another type and size of material fastener with the teeth on the back edge. It is another purpose of the present invention to provide a lifting tool having means on the blade for removing fasteners from underneath covering material. It is another purpose of the present invention to provide a stronger lifting tool that has a straight blade that is not easily bent during use. It is a further purpose of the present invention to provide a lifting tool with a handle that can more easily and safely manipulate the blade of the tool.

In accordance with the present invention, a lifting tool blade is provided with front and rear edges. The blade has top and bottom surfaces joining the front and rear edges. The bottom surface is slightly bent intermediate the front and rear edges to form a straight, front, bottom section and a straight, rear, bottom section joined at a ridge. The ridge extends across the blade and is parallel to the front edge. The front, bottom section diverges slightly away from the top surface toward the ridge from the front edge to form a relatively long thin wedge shape ending in a thin front edge at the front of the blade. The blade is thickest at the ridge and thinnest at the front edge. Preferably, the rear, bottom section also diverges slightly away from the top surface toward the ridge from the rear edge to form a relatively long thin wedge shape ending in a thin front edge at the rear of the blade. The ridge provides a fulcrum point about where the blade can be slightly pivoted when resting on a support surface.

The front of the tapered front section of the blade, when on a lifting tool, can be inserted under the edge of material to be removed while sliding along the support surface on the front, bottom surface section. The blade can then be pivoted about the ridge to rest on its rear, bottom surface section to initially slightly lift the material to release it from its support surface. The blade can then be further pivoted about its front or back edges to further lift the material to loosen it for removal. Often, a major portion of the tapered front section of the blade can be inserted under the material to be removed if the material is not tightly held, the blade camming the material upwardly to loosen it.

The front edge of the blade can have slots therein extending rearwardly and forming teeth between them at the front of the blade. The blade can be maneuvered to position a fastener in a slot in the front edge of the blade, the head of the fastener supported by the adjacent teeth. The blade is then pushed forward riding on its front, bottom surface section. The fastener can often be ‘cracked’ or raised out of the support surface by its head being cammed up by the tapered front section of the blade as the blade is pushed forward. If the fastener does not move as the blade is pushed forward, the blade can be pivoted about the ridge while the fastener is in the slot to crack the fastener initially a short distance. The lever arm for the front, bottom surface section of the blade is relatively short, so greater leverage is obtained to lift the fastener initially than is obtained from a straight blade of uniform thickness which has to be pivoted about the rear edge of the blade to provide leverage. Once the fastener has moved initially, the fastener is removed by pivoting the blade about its front or rear edges while the fastener is in the slot.

The blade with the bottom ridge can have one set of slots on the front edge for receiving one size of fastener and the another set of slots on the back edge for receiving a different size of fastener. A tool with this blade can be used with to remove two different sizes of commonly used fasteners. While the blade used with the two sets of slots has been described as a blade with a bottom ridge, the blade can also be a flat blade with no bottom ridge.

The slots between the teeth in the front or back edge of the blade can be shaped to receive different sizes of fasteners. Each slot can be shaped to have an outer slot section which is quite wide initially and tapers down to the mouth of an intermediate slot section which in turn tapers down to the mouth of an inner slot section. The inner slot section extends to the end of the slot. The tapered outer slot section is large so as to be able to easily catch and direct fasteners into the slots. In addition, the outer slot section, with a wide taper, very gradually engages and raises a fastener. The head of the fastener can initially be engaged by one side of the slot only. The portion of the teeth adjacent the intermediate slot section will pick up the heads of the most commonly used material fasteners. The portion of the teeth defining the narrow inner slot section will pick up half or broken heads of common material fasteners. The shaped slots are preferably used with a blade having a bottom ridge but they can be used with a flat blade having no bottom ridge.

The blade can be modified with an angled side slot extending inwardly from at least one side of the blade. The side slot can be located close to the front edge on the blade and can be angled rearwardly. The front edge can be with or without slots. A nail, under a cover, can be caught in the side slot by sliding the blade under the cover and then drawing the blade with its side, with the slot, against the fastener until the fastener enters the slot. The blade can then be rotated to withdraw the fastener. The angled side slots are preferably used with a blade having a bottom ridge but they can also be used on flat blades having no bottom ridge,

The blade can be strengthened, if desired, by bending the blade at a point just behind the front teeth to form a slight upstanding ridge extending across the width of the blade, the ridge parallel with the front edge. Not only does the ridge strengthen the blade it also helps direct material away from the blade to help lift the material. The blade is preferably a blade with a bottom ridge but can also be a flat blade with no bottom ridge. The blade of the present invention can be employed on lifting tools with a handle attached directly to the approximate center of the blade and extending upwardly and rearwardly or with a handle attached to a socket on the blade, the socket extending upwardly and rearwardly.

The lifting tool can be strengthened by including a gusset between the top front portion of the blade and the top front of a handle or handle socket on the top of the blade. The gusset strengthens the blade against bending and is shaped to direct the material upwardly as the blade is forced under the material. The blade is preferably a blade with a bottom ridge but can also be a flat blade with no bottom ridge. The tool can also have a handle bent to make the tool more efficient and safe in use.

The invention is particularly directed toward a blade for a lifting tool having front and rear edges joined by sides, a top surface and a bottom surface. At least the front edge is thin. The bottom surface has a front section and a rear section. The front, bottom surface section extends rearwardly from the front edge of the blade while angling slightly away from the top surface, and the rear bottom surface section extends forwardly from the rear edge. The front and rear sections join to define a bottom ridge intermediate the front and rear edges of the blade. The ridge is at the thickest portion of the blade, extends across the blade, and is parallel to the front edge of the blade. Preferably, the ridge is located within the middle three-fifths of the blade between the edges.

The invention is further particularly directed toward a blade for a lifting tool having front and rear edges, the front portion of the blade tapered toward the front edge. The blade has slots extending inwardly from the front edge to form outwardly extending teeth. Each slot is defined by adjacent teeth and has an outer section that tapers inwardly from an outer mouth to collect and direct a nail into the slot. The slot has an intermediate section following the outer section that tapers inwardly, at a lesser angle than the outer section tapers inwardly, to have the adjacent teeth defining the intermediate section support fastener heads of varying size. An inner slot section follows the intermediate section and is of generally uniform width to receive the shanks of fasteners.

The invention is also directed toward a blade for a lifting tool having front and rear edges, the front portion of the blade tapered toward the front edge. The blade has slots extending inwardly from the front edge to form outwardly extending teeth, the slots sized to receive one size of fastener. The blade also has slots extending inwardly from the rear edge to form outwardly extending teeth, the slots sized to receive a second size of fastener different from the one size of fastener received by the teeth in the front edge.

The invention is further directed toward a blade for a lifting tool having front and rear edges, the front portion of the blade tapered to the front edge. The blade has slots extending inwardly from the front edge to form forwardly extending teeth. A strengthening ridge is formed in the blade, the front of the ridge located between a position just encroaching on the teeth and one half inch behind the teeth, the ridge extending across the width of the blade and above the top of the blade.

The invention is further directed toward a blade for a lifting tool having front and rear edges, the front portion of the blade tapered to the front edge. A handle socket extends upwardly and rearwardly from about the center of the top of the blade. A gusset is provided on the top of the blade joined both to the top of the blade in front of the socket and to the front of the socket. The top of the gusset angles up from the blade to the socket.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a lifting tool with the blade of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the blade;

FIG. 3 is a detail plan view showing the slots and teeth on the front of the blade;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the blade, in partial cross-section, catching a fastening nail;

FIG. 5 is a side view similar to FIG. 4 but with the blade in a position after pivoting it about the bottom ridge;

FIG. 6 is a detail cross-section view showing a tapered tooth on the blade;

FIG. 7 is a detail plan view of shaped teeth on the blade;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a blade with a trapping slot;

FIG. 9 is a side view of another variation of the blade;

FIG. 10 is a side view of a further variation of the blade;

FIG. 11 is a side view of yet another variation of the blade;

FIG. 12 is a partial side view of the tool, in partial cross-section, with reinforcing features thereon; and

FIG. 12 is a side view of the tool showing the handle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The blade 1 of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, is to be used with a handle 3 to provide a lifting tool 5. The blade 1 has front and rear edges 7, 9 and sides 11 joining the edges. The blade is preferably of quadratic shape and so the edges 7, 9 are parallel and the sides 11 are parallel and transverse to the edges. The blade has a top surface 13 that is preferably flat and a slightly bent bottom surface 15 that has a front, bottom, surface section 17 and a rear, bottom, surface section 19. The front and rear bottom surface sections 17, 19 are straight. The front, bottom, surface section 17 angles slightly away from the top surface 13 as it extends rearwardly from the front edge 7. The rear bottom surface section 19 angles slightly away from the top surface 13 as it extends forwardly from the rear edge 9. The front and rear bottom surface sections 17, 19 connect at about the middle of the blade along its length to form a bottom ridge 21 which is parallel to the front and rear edges 7, 9 and extends across the blade between the sides 11. The blade tapers in thickness moving from the ridge 21 toward both the front and rear edges 7, 9 to provide thin edges. The ridge 21 is shown as sharply defined, a straight line where the two straight bottom surface sections 17, 19 meet, but the ridge can also be slightly rounded.

The drawings exaggerate the angulation of the bottom surface sections 17, 19 with respect to the top surface 13. Generally, the blade might be about six inches in length between the front and rear edges 7, 9 with the ridge 21 being about three inches from each edge. The blade, at the edges 7, 9, would about one sixteenth of an inch thick and about three sixteenths of an inch thick at the ridge 21. The blade is thickest at the ridge 21. The angle β between the top surface 13 and the front and rear bottom surfaces 17, 19 can range between 20 and 60. The blade can be between four and ten inches long. The width of the blade is normally less than it's length. Its thickness, at its thickest point, can range between one eighth of an inch to five sixteenths of an inch. The ridge 21 can be located anywhere within the middle three fifths of the distance between the front and rear edges 7, 9 of the blade. Thus, for example, for a blade ten inches long, the ridge 21 can be located anywhere more than two inches from each edge. The blade is normally manufactured by machining a piece of steel plate.

The handle 3 can be a wooden handle fixedly mounted in a socket 23, the socket welded to the top center of the blade and angled rearwardly and upwardly about forty five degrees as shown. Alternatively, the handle 3 can be a metal rod or tube welded at one end to the top surface 13 of the blade 1, the handle located generally in the center of the blade and angled rearwardly and upwardly about forty five degrees.

The blade described can be used as is to lift and pry up material from a support surface. The long, wedge-shaped front portion of the blade is easily pushed and worked farther under the edge of material on the support surface of a roof, the blade sliding on the support surface on its front bottom surface 17. The blade slides quite easily since it is only sliding on the front bottom surface and not on the whole bottom surface of the blade. Once the front portion is well under the material, the blade can be pivoted by the handle 3 on the ridge 21 to rest on its rear, bottom surface 19. This has the effect of breaking away the material away from the support surface. Once the material is broken away, the blade can be further pivoted about its front or rear edges 7, 9 to further lift the material clear of the support surface and loosen it for removal.

Preferably, at least the front of the blade 1 has fastener receiving slots 29 extending rearwardly from the front edge 7 of the blade. The slots 29 define a set 31 of spaced-apart forwardly extending teeth 33 as shown in detail in FIG. 3. The sides 35 of the teeth 33 are parallel and the fronts 37 of the teeth 33 are angled from the sides 35 to a rounded point 39. The angled fronts 37 of the teeth 33 define a tapered, outer, slot portion 41 for each slot 29. The tapered, outer, slot portion 41 provides an entrance and leads to an inner, uniform-width, slot portion 43 defined by the sides 35 of the teeth 33. The inner slot portions 43 are wide enough to receive the shank of a standard material fastener but not wide enough to pass the head of the fastener and are substantially longer than the outer slot portions 41. The teeth 33 are of course tapered to increase in thickness moving away from the front of the teeth. The angled fronts 37 of the teeth can be beveled laterally, if desired, as shown at 44, to make it easier for the head of the fastener to move up onto the teeth.

If, as the blade 1 is slid under material on a support surface, sliding on its front bottom surface 17, and it encounters a tightly held fastener ‘N’ as shown in FIG. 4, the shank ‘S’ of the fastener slides into a fastener receiving slot 29 as the blade moves forward. The head ‘H’ of the fastener rides up on the sides of the teeth 33 adjacent the slot. The fastener riding up on the sides of the tapered teeth 33 may ‘crack’ it loose from the support surface. However, if it does not, the blade is levered about its bottom ridge 21 by the tool handle 3 to slightly lift the teeth 33 until the blade rests on the support surface on its rear, bottom surface section 19 as shown in FIG. 5. The relatively short arm from the ridge 21 to the slots 29 on the front of the blade, compared to the length of the handle, provides good leverage to ‘crack’ the tight fastener from the tight grip of the support surface and slightly lift it. The fastener does not move far but it is not meant to initially. Once the fastener is ‘cracked’ free and initially moved, it can be more easily pulled out by pivoting the blade about either its front or back edges 7, 9.

If desired, the teeth can be made more tapered in thickness front to back by angling them from front to back at a slightly greater angle than the angle at which the front bottom surface is angled to the top surface. The angling can be on the top of the teeth 33 as shown by surface 45 in FIG. 6 but it can also be on the bottom of the teeth if desired. The angling extends for a length no greater than the length of the teeth. The more tapered teeth may be shorter and are thinner at their leading edge making it easier to insert the teeth under material. The more tapered teeth may also make it easier to ‘crack’ some fasteners.

A set 46 of teeth 47 can be provided on the rear edge 9 of the blade which are the same as the set 31 of teeth 33 on the front edge. This allows the tool to be used in either direction to pull fasteners. Preferably, however, one set 31 of teeth are sized to provide slots that receive one size of fasteners, such as asphalt shingle nails, and the other set 46 of teeth can be sized to provide slots that receive smaller size of fasteners, such as the nails used for cedar shakes.

The blade can be provided with shaped slots between the teeth. The shaped slots have several advantages. They make it easier for the fasteners to enter the slots and to move to the end of the slots. They make it easier to try to ‘crack’ the fastener. They also make it easier to sharpen the teeth to maintain their utility, particularly the leading portion of the teeth at the mouth of the slot where most wear occurs. The shaped slots 51, as shown in FIG. 7, define shaped teeth 53 between the slots. The shaped teeth 53 each have an outer, angled section 55 defined by front sides 57 leading rearwardly from a rounded front point 59 on the tooth and diverging rearwardly from each other by an angle ranging from between 80° and 100°. The tapered front sides 57 of the outer section 55 normally diverge from each other more than the front sides of a normal pointed tooth of the type shown in FIG. 3.

The outer, angled section 55 is followed by an intermediate, angled section 61 defined by intermediate sides 63 extending rearwardly from the front sides 57. The intermediate sides 63 are slightly longer than the front sides 57 and diverge from front to back do but not as much front sides. The intermediate sides 63 would diverge from each other by an angle ranging from between 30° and 60°. The tooth has a inner, straight section 65, behind the intermediate section 61, defined by straight, parallel, sides 67 leading rearwardly from the intermediate sides 63. The straight sides 67 are longer than the intermediate sides 63.

The slot 51 between adjacent teeth 53 has a wide, tapered, outer, slot section 71 between the front sides 53 of the teeth, and a tapered intermediate slot section 73, following the outer slot section 71, between the intermediate sides 63 of the teeth. The outer slot section 71 provides entry to the intermediate slot section 73. The intermediate slot section 73 converges toward a narrow inner slot section 75 of uniform width between the straight sides 67 of the teeth.

A front side 57 of the outer angled section 55 of a tooth initially picks up the fastener head entering a slot and moves both sideways and forwardly relative to the fastener, gently and easily raising the head a slight distance due to the taper in thickness of the outer section of the tooth, and initially ‘cracking’ the fastener out of the wood. The fastener head in this stage moves relatively to the tooth on only one side of the tooth and moves about as fast sideways as forwardly thus gently easing the fastener head up. The fastener then moves onto the intermediate angled section, the tooth now moving relatively faster forwardly than sideways since the intermediate sides of the teeth are not angled as much as the outer sides. Since the tooth has been initially cracked it is now easier to raise the fastener in the intermediate angled section and in this section the fastener head becomes supported between two adjacent teeth. Continued relative movement of the fastener occurs in moving into, and along the length of, the inner slot section, the taper in thickness of the blade continually raising the fastener.

The inner slot in both embodiments has been described as having parallel sides. However, the inner slot can also have the sides converging toward the closed end of the inner slot so as to be able to pick up fasteners with smaller heads such as finishing nails. In this case fasteners with larger shanks will not travel to the closed end of the slot.

While the shaped slots have been described as being in a blade that tapers in thickness to each edge from a generally centrally located bottom ridge, the slots can also be used in a blade that is flat and of even thickness except for being tapered in the area of the teeth, the teeth tapering to a thin front edge as is known.

A blade 1″ can also be provided having at least one fastener trapping slot in a side of the blade. The blade 1″ can be a blade as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the blade tapering from a relatively thick middle to thin front and back edges. (The teeth in the front and rear edges are not shown). The trapping slot 87 is a slot that extends inwardly from the side 85 of the blade, angled toward the front edge 81 of the blade. Because the blade tapers in thickness, the trapping slot should be located as close to the front edge 81 as possible. The sides 89, 89″ of the slot 87 are parallel. The slot 87 operates to trap or catch the shank ‘S’ of a fastener ‘N’ as the side 85 of the blade is drawn rearwardly against and past the shank ‘S’ as shown by the arrow ‘A’. This occurs while the front of the blade, riding on the front bottom surface section of the blade, is under a layer of material on a support surface. As the mouth 91 of the slot 87 passes by the shank ‘S’ as the blade is drawn rearwardly, the blade moves slightly toward the shank, the shank partly entering the mouth 91 of the slot 87. The pointed nose 93 of the blade at the mouth 91 of the slot 87 helps catch the shank ‘S’ and move it further into the slot 81 as the blade continues its rearward movement. The blade 1″ can then be rotated while flat on its front bottom surface section to move the shank to the bottom of the slot and to then lever the fastener out of the wood. Preferably, the side 89′ of the slot nearest the rear edge 83 can be rounded at the mouth 91 of the slot as shown at 95 to make it easier for the shank of a fastener to enter the slot. A trapping slot 87 can be provided on both sides of the blade. The trapping slots 87 can also be used in a blade that is flat, without a bottom ridge, and of even thickness except for being tapered in the area of the teeth, the teeth tapering to a thin front edge as is known.

The blade described in FIGS. 1 and 2 has a bottom surface with both the front and rear sections of the surface angled with respect to the top surface, the front and rear bottom sections joining to form a ridge. The blade 101 can be effective however with a rear bottom section 119 of the bottom surface 115 that is not angled but rather parallel to the top surface 113 as shown in FIG. 9. In this embodiment, the front edge 107 of the blade will not be moved as much about the ridge 121, when the blade is pivoted about the ridge, before the rear bottom section 119 abuts against the roof surface as it would be moved if the rear bottom section were also angled. However, the movement will sufficient to ‘crack’ many fasteners. In this embodiment, the rear edge 109 remains thick, as thick as the blade is at the ridge 121, and this blade would have no rear teeth for use in withdrawing fasteners. In this blade, the ridge 121 can be located within the middle three fifths of the distance between the front and rear edges 107, 109 although it is preferable near the middle of the blade.

In another embodiment, the blade of FIG. 9, may be modified to have the top rear surface section 122 of the top surface 113 of the blade angled down to the bottom rear surface section 119 of the bottom surface 115, as shown in FIG. 10, to provide a thin rear edge 110 that can have teeth (not shown) therein. In this embodiment, the bottom rear surface section 119 can be parallel to the top front surface section 124 while still providing both front and rear tapered portions on the blade.

In yet another embodiment, the blade could be formed to have two spaced apart ridges on the bottom surface of the blade. As shown in FIG. 11, the blade 201 has front and rear edges 207, 209 joined by a flat top surface 213. The bottom surface 215 has a straight, front, bottom surface section 217 that angles slightly away from the top surface 213 in extending rearwardly from the front edge 207. The bottom surface also has straight, rear, bottom surface section 219 that angles slightly away from the top surface 213 in extending forwardly from the rear edge 209. The blade includes an intermediate bottom surface section 225 that is parallel to the top surface 213. This intermediate bottom section 225 is normally located in middle of the blade. The front, bottom section 217 joins to the front of the intermediate, bottom section 225 to form a front ridge 221 on the bottom of the blade. The rear bottom section 219 joins to the rear of the intermediate bottom section 225 to form a rear ridge 222 on the bottom of the blade. Teeth (not shown) can be formed on the front and rear tapered portions of the blade, Either end of the blade can be inserted under material on a support surface and pivoted about the ridge nearest the end to lift the material.

Any of the blades shown, and including flat blades of uniform thickness with a tapered front edge portion, can be strengthened by bending the blade 301 just behind the front teeth 302 to form a small ridge 304 in the blade extending across the width of the blade as shown in FIG. 12. The ridge 304 is parallel to the front edge 307 of the blade. The ridge 304 also serves to direct the roofing material upwardly away from the blade. The front portion of the ridge 304, while shown just behind the teeth 302, can be located anywhere between just encroaching on the teeth to being about a half inch behind the teeth.

Any of the blades shown, including flat blades of uniform thickness with a short tapered front edge portion, can be further strengthened by welding a gusset 320 between the top surface 313 of the blade in front of a handle socket 323 and the front portion 322 of the handle socket 323 as shown in FIG. 12. The gusset 320 merges the top surface 313 of the blade to the front portion 322 of the socket 323. The gusset 320 strengthens the blade 301 and also directs roofing material away from the blade and up the handle. The top of the gusset has been shown straight. It can also be made slightly concave to more smoothly merge the top of the blade to the front of the socket. While the blade has been shown with a handle socket, the gusset could also be used with a blade connected directly to a metal handle, the gusset connected to both the top of the blade and the handle.

The tool has been shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 with a socket and a wooden handle extending from the socket. The tool 405, as shown in FIG. 13, can also have a metal handle 403, the handle welded at its front end 424 to the top surface 413 of the blade 401 and having a relatively short front portion 426 extending upwardly and rearwardly from the blade at an angle of about forty five degrees. The handle can be tubular or solid. The handle 403 can have a slight downward bend 428 near the blade 401 to position the grip portion 430 of the handle 403 of the tool in a better position for the user of the tool. The grip portion 430 is relatively long compared to the front portion 426, the grip portion being gripped during use near its far end spaced from the front portion 426. The grip portion 430 extends at an angle to the blade which is substantially less than the angle at which the front portion of the handle extends to the blade. The grip portion 430, being lowered during use due to bend 428, allows the user to more easily insert the tool blade under material, while the front portion 426 of the handle, extending at about a forty five degree angle to the blade, still allows the user to lever the blade upwardly. The handle 403 can have a second bend 432 just behind the grip portion 430 to angle the rear portion 434 of the handle, just behind the grip portion 430, downwardly. This allows the rear portion 434 of the handle to hit the support surface first and protect the hand of the user on the grip portion 430, just above the rear portion 434, from hitting the support surface when maneuvering the tool to lift material and fasteners. The tool 405 with the handle 403 is shown with a blade as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. However, the tool can have any kind of blade with any type of teeth and any type of blade reinforcing means.

The tool can also include an impact receiving member 436 on the handle 403 just above the blade 401 as shown in FIG. 13. The member 436 can comprise a cylindrical bar 438, the bar 438 welded onto the front portion 426 of the handle 403 and extending transverse to it, the bar 438 parallel with the front edge 407 of the blade 401. The bar 438 can be hit by the user with a hammer to force the tool forward when needed, such as when cutting material being removed. The impact receiving member 436 could be a square bar instead of cylindrical, or it could have other shapes. The member 436 could also be attached to the top of the blade 401 if desired instead of on the handle as shown. The impact receiving member is also wide enough to allow the user to step on it to help force the blade under into the material. The impact receiving member could also be attached to the socket of a tool employing a wooden handle. 

1. A blade for a lifting tool having front and rear edges joined by sides, a top surface, and a bottom surface; at least the front edge being thin; the bottom surface bent to have a front, bottom surface section and a rear, bottom surface section; the front, bottom surface section extending rearwardly from the front edge of the blade while angling slightly away from the top surface, and the rear, bottom surface section extending forwardly from the rear edge; the front and rear bottom surface sections joining to define a ridge located in the middle three-fifths of the blade between the front and rear edges of the blade, the ridge at the thickest portion of the blade and extending across the blade and parallel to the front edge.
 2. A blade as claimed in claim 1 wherein the rear edge is thin; the top surface is straight; the front, bottom surface section is straight; and the rear, bottom surface section is straight and angles upwardly from the ridge toward the top surface.
 3. A blade as claimed in claim 1 wherein the rear edge is thin; the top surface is slightly bent with a straight, front, top surface section and a straight, rear, top surface section that angles slightly away from the plane containing the front, top surface section and toward the rear, bottom surface section.
 4. A blade for a roofing tool having front and rear edges joined by sides, a straight top surface, and a bottom surface; the front and rear edges being thin; the bottom surface having a front, bottom surface section, an intermediate, bottom surface section and a rear, bottom surface section; the front, bottom surface section extending rearwardly from the front edge of the blade toward the intermediate, bottom surface section while angling slightly away from the top surface; the front and intermediate bottom surface sections joining to define a front ridge located in the middle three-fifths of the blade between the front and rear edges of the blade; the rear, bottom surface section extending forwardly from the rear edge toward the intermediate, bottom surface section and angling slightly away from the top surface; the rear and intermediate bottom surface sections joining to form a rear ridge parallel to the front ridge and the back edge.
 5. A blade as claimed in claim 2 wherein the front and rear bottom surface sections diverge from the top surface, from the front and rear edges respectively, by an angle ranging between 2° and 6°.
 6. A blade as claimed in claim 3 wherein the front and rear bottom surface sections diverge from the top surface, from the front and rear edges respectively, by an angle ranging between 2° and 6°.
 7. A blade as claimed in claim 4 wherein the front and rear bottom surface sections diverge from the top surface, from the front and rear edges respectively, by an angle ranging between 2° and 6°.
 8. A blade as claimed in claim 2 wherein the blade has a thickness of about one sixteenth of an inch at the front and rear edges, and a thickness at the ridge of between two sixteenths and five sixteenths of an inch.
 9. A blade as claimed in claim 3 wherein the blade has a thickness of about one sixteenth of an inch at the front and rear edges, and a thickness at the ridge of between two sixteenths and five sixteenths of an inch.
 10. A blade as claimed in claim 4 wherein the blade has a thickness of about one sixteenth of an inch at the front and rear edges, and a thickness at the front ridge of between two sixteenths and five sixteenths of an inch.
 11. A blade as claimed in claim 2 including a set of fastener receiving slots extending rearwardly from the front edge of the blade to define teeth between the slots, each tooth having a relatively short front portion that tapers to the front of the tooth to a rounded point and a relatively long body portion with parallel sides, each tooth tapering in thickness toward the front edge.
 12. A blade as claimed in claim 3 including a set of fastener receiving slots extending rearwardly from the front edge of the blade to define teeth between the slots, each tooth having a relatively short front portion that tapers to the front of the tooth to a rounded point and a relatively long body portion with parallel sides, each tooth tapering in thickness toward the front edge.
 13. A blade as claimed in claim 4 including a set of fastener receiving slots extending rearwardly from the front edge of the blade to define teeth between the slots, each tooth having a relatively short front portion that tapers to the front of the tooth to a rounded point and a relatively long body portion with parallel sides, each tooth tapering in thickness toward the front edge.
 14. A blade as claimed in claim 2 including a set of fastener receiving slots extending rearwardly from the front edge of the blade to define teeth between the slots; each tooth having a relatively short front portion that tapers to the front of the tooth to a rounded point; an intermediate tapered portion extending rearwardly from the front portion, the intermediate portion slightly longer than the front portion and not tapered from back to front as much as the front portion; and a rear portion with parallel sides, the rear portion longer than the intermediate portion.
 15. A blade as claimed in claim 3 including a set of fastener receiving slots extending rearwardly from the front edge of the blade to define teeth between the slots; each tooth having a relatively short front portion that tapers to the front of the tooth to a rounded point; an intermediate tapered portion extending rearwardly from the front portion, the intermediate portion slightly longer than the front portion and not tapered from back to front as much as the front portion; and a rear portion with parallel sides, the rear portion longer than the intermediate portion.
 16. A blade as claimed in claim 14 wherein the sides of the front portion of the tooth diverge from each other from the point of the tooth at an angle ranging between eighty and one hundred degrees.
 17. A blade as claimed in claim 15 wherein the sides of the front portion of the tooth diverge from each other from the point of the tooth at an angle ranging between eighty and one hundred degrees.
 18. A blade as claimed in claim 2 including a trapping slot in at least one side of the blade, the slot extending inwardly and forwardly toward the front edge of the blade and sized to receive the shank of a fastener, the side of the trapping slot nearest the rear edge of the blade rounded at the mouth of the slot to make entry of the fastener shank into the slot easier.
 19. A blade as claimed in claim 3 including a trapping slot in at least one side of the blade, the slot extending inwardly and forwardly toward the front edge of the blade and sized to receive the shank of a fastener, the side of the trapping slot nearest the rear edge of the blade rounded at the mouth of the slot to make entry of the fastener shank into the slot easier.
 20. A blade as claimed in claim 11 including a second set of fastener receiving slots extending forwardly from the back edge of the blade, the second set of slots sized to receive fasteners with shanks of a different size than the shanks of fasteners received by the set of slots in the front edge.
 21. A blade as claimed in claim 12 including a second set of fastener receiving slots extending forwardly from the back edge of the blade, the second set of slots sized to receive fasteners with shanks of a different size than the shanks of fasteners received by the set of slots in the front edge.
 22. A blade as claimed in claim 13 including a second set of fastener receiving slots extending forwardly from the back edge of the blade, the second set of slots sized to receive fasteners with shanks of a different size than the shanks of fasteners received by the set of slots in the front edge.
 23. A blade as claimed in claim 11 including a strengthening ridge formed in the blade, the front of the ridge located between a position just encroaching on the teeth and one half inch behind the teeth, the ridge extending across the width of the blade and above the top surface of the blade.
 24. A blade as claimed in claim 12 including a strengthening ridge formed in the blade, the front of the ridge located between a position just encroaching on the teeth and one half inch behind the teeth, the ridge extending across the width of the blade and above the top surface of the blade.
 25. A blade as claimed in claim 13 including a strengthening ridge formed in the blade, the front of the ridge located between a position just encroaching on the teeth and one half inch behind the teeth, the ridge extending across the width of the blade and above the top surface of the blade.
 26. A blade as claimed in claim 11 including a handle socket on the top of the blade in about the middle extending upwardly and rearwardly, and a gusset on the top of the blade; the gusset extending from the top of the blade, in front of the socket, to the lower front portion of the socket near the blade and fastened to both the blade and the socket, the top of the gusset angled upwardly from the top of the blade to the socket.
 27. A blade as claimed in claim 12 including a handle socket on the top of the blade in about the middle extending upwardly and rearwardly, and a gusset on the top of the blade; the gusset extending from the top of the blade, in front of the socket, to the lower front portion of the socket near the blade and fastened to both the blade and the socket, the top of the gusset angled upwardly from the top of the blade to the socket.
 28. A blade as claimed in claim 13 including a handle socket on the top of the blade in about the middle extending upwardly and rearwardly, and a gusset on the top of the blade; the gusset extending from the top of the blade, in front of the socket, to the lower front portion of the socket near the blade and fastened to both the blade and the socket, the top of the gusset angled upwardly from the top of the blade to the socket.
 29. A blade for a roofing tool having front and back edges, the front portion of the blade tapered to the front edge; the blade having slots extending inwardly from at the front edge to form outwardly extending teeth; each slot defined by adjacent teeth and having an outer section that tapers inwardly from an outer mouth to collect and direct a fastener into the slot; the slot having an intermediate section following the outer section that tapers inwardly to a lesser degree than the outer section and the slot having an inner section following the intermediate section and of generally uniform width to receive the shanks of fasteners.
 30. A blade as claimed in claim 29 wherein the sides of the outer section of the slot converge toward each other from the mouth of the slot at an angle ranging between eighty and one hundred degrees.
 31. A blade as claimed in claim 29 including a trapping slot in at least one side of the blade, the slot extending inwardly and forwardly toward the front edge of the blade and sized to receive the shank of a fastener, the side of the trapping slot nearest the rear edge of the blade rounded at the mouth of the slot to make entry of the fastener shank into the slot easier.
 32. A blade as claimed in claim 29 including a strengthening ridge formed in the blade, the front of the ridge located between a position just encroaching on the teeth and one half inch behind the teeth, the ridge extending across the width of the blade and above the top surface of the blade.
 33. A blade for a lifting tool having front and back edges, the front portion of the blade tapered to the front edge; the blade having slots extending inwardly from the front edge to form forwardly extending teeth; and a strengthening ridge formed in the blade, the front of the ridge located between a position just encroaching on the teeth and one half inch behind the teeth, the ridge extending across the width of the blade and above the top of the blade.
 34. A blade as claimed in claim 33 including a trapping slot in at least one side of the blade, the slot extending inwardly and forwardly toward the front edge of the blade and sized to receive the shank of a fastener, the side of the trapping slot nearest the rear edge of the blade rounded at the mouth of the slot to make entry of the fastener shank into the slot easier.
 35. A blade for a lifting tool having front and rear edges, the front and rear portions of the blade being tapered toward the front and rear edges respectively; the blade having a first set of slots extending rearwardly from the front edge to form a first set of front teeth which extend forwardly, the first set of slots sized to receive the shanks of one size of fastener, a second set of slots extending forwardly from the rear edge to form a second set of rear teeth which extend rearwardly, the second set of slots sized to receive the shanks of a second size of fastener.
 36. A blade as claimed in claim 35 including a strengthening ridge formed in the blade, the front of the ridge located between a position just encroaching on the front teeth and one half inch behind the front teeth, the ridge extending across the width of the blade and above the top of the blade.
 37. A blade as claimed in claim 35 including a trapping slot in at least one side of the blade, the slot extending inwardly and forwardly toward the front edge of the blade and sized to receive the shank of a fastener, the side of the trapping slot nearest the rear edge of the blade rounded at the mouth of the slot to make entry of the fastener shank into the slot easier.
 38. A blade for a lifting tool, the blade having front and back edges; the front portion of the blade being tapered toward the front edge; slots extending rearwardly from the front edge to form a set of teeth extending forwardly; a handle socket extending upwardly and rearwardly away from the front edge from about the center of the blade; a gusset on the top of the blade; the gusset extending from the top of the blade, in front of the socket and behind the teeth, to the front portion of the socket and fastened to both the blade and the socket, the top of the gusset angled upwardly from the top of the blade to the socket.
 39. A blade as claimed in claim 38 including a strengthening ridge formed in the blade just behind the teeth and in front of the gusset, the front of the ridge located between a position just encroaching on the front teeth and one half inch behind the front teeth, the ridge extending across the width of the blade, the ridge above the top surface of the blade.
 40. A roofing tool having a blade, the blade having front and back edges and the front portion of the blade tapering toward the front edge; the blade having slots extending inwardly from the front edge to form forwardly extending teeth; a handle, the handle having a relatively short front portion joined by a first bend to a relatively long grip portion, the grip portion joined by a second bend to a relatively short spacer portion; the front portion of the handle attached to about the center of the blade and extending upwardly and rearwardly from the blade at a first angle; the grip portion of the handle extending upwardly and rearwardly from the blade at a second angle to the blade which is substantially less than the first angle; the spacer portion of the handle extending at about a right angle to the grip portion and acting to space the grip portion from a surface the tool is working on when the tool is laid on the surface.
 41. A tool as claimed in claim 40 including a strengthening ridge formed in the blade just behind the front teeth, the front of the ridge located between a position just encroaching on the front teeth and one half inch behind the front teeth, the ridge extending across the width of the blade, the ridge above the top surface of the blade.
 42. A tool as claimed in claim 40 including a gusset on the top of the blade, the gusset extending from the top of the blade, in front of the handle to the front portion of the handle near the blade and fastened to both the blade and the front handle portion, the top of the gusset angled upwardly.
 43. A tool as claimed in claim 40 including an impact member on the front portion of the handle extending transversely to the front portion. 